Korean ensures McDowell packs bags early again

A struggling Tiger Woods was forced to hole a nine-foot par putt on the 18th to see off Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez Castano as Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke crashed out in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play at Dove Mountain.

Woods, seeking his first official PGA Tour win for two-and-a-half years, overcame some wayward driving to go to the last with a one-up lead but bunkered his approach before clinching an unconvincing one-hole win over the Madrid star to set up a second round clash with compatriot Nick Watney today.

Clarke was simply too rusty to give Watney a fight in his match and went down without a whimper, 5&4.